Steven Seagal

Steven Seagal
Name	Steven Seagal
Caption	Seagal in 2016
Birth date	10 April 1952
Birth place	Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, martial artist, film producer, screenwriter, director, musician, reserve deputy sheriff
Years active	1987–present
Spouse	Miyako Fujitani (m. 1975; div. 1986), Adrienne La Russa (m. 1984; ann. 1984), Kelly LeBrock (m. 1987; div. 1996), Erdenetuya Batsukh (m. 2009)

Steven Seagal is an American actor, martial artist, and film producer. He rose to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a star of action films, often portraying skilled martial artists and law enforcement officers. His early work, such as Above the Law and Under Siege, established him as a major figure in the genre. Seagal's career has since been marked by direct-to-video projects and numerous legal and personal controversies.

Early life and education

He was born in Lansing, Michigan, to Patricia, a medical technician, and Samuel Seagal, a high school mathematics teacher. His family relocated to Fullerton, California, where he attended Buena Park High School. During his youth, he began studying martial arts in Orange County, California, under masters like Fumio Demura. In the early 1970s, he moved to Japan to further his training, eventually becoming the first foreigner to operate an aikido dojo in the country. He also spent time in South Korea and studied other disciplines, including kenjutsu.

Martial arts career

In Japan, he immersed himself deeply in aikido, training under renowned instructors such as Hiroshi Isoyama and the founder's son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba. He achieved a high rank, reportedly a 7th-dan black belt, and taught at his dojo in Osaka. His expertise extended to weapons training, including the iaito and tantō. Upon returning to the United States, he worked as a martial arts instructor in Los Angeles, where his clientele included celebrities, which facilitated his entry into the film industry. He has also served as a reserve deputy sheriff in several jurisdictions, including Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

Acting career

His film debut came with the 1988 film Above the Law, produced by Warner Bros.. He achieved major commercial success with the 1992 naval thriller Under Siege, co-starring Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey. Other notable films from this period include Hard to Kill, Marked for Death, and Out for Justice. He directed and starred in On Deadly Ground, an environmental action film. After the mid-1990s, his theatrical output diminished, and he transitioned to starring in numerous direct-to-video action films. He also executive produced and hosted the reality television series Steven Seagal: Lawman on A&E and had a recurring role on the series True Justice.

Legal issues and controversies

He has faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and assault from several women, with some cases reported to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Santa Monica Police Department. In 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney declined to file charges in one case due to the statute of limitations. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated him for alleged connections to the Italian-American Mafia. He settled a Securities and Exchange Commission case in 2020 for failing to disclose payments for promoting a cryptocurrency. His close association with Russian president Vladimir Putin and his acceptance of Russian citizenship and a role as a special representative for Russia have drawn significant criticism and scrutiny from U.S. officials.

Personal life

He has been married four times: to aikido instructor Miyako Fujitani, briefly to actress Adrienne La Russa, to model and actress Kelly LeBrock, with whom he has three children, and to Mongolian dancer Erdenetuya Batsukh. He is a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism and has expressed support for the 14th Dalai Lama. An avid musician, he plays blues guitar and has released albums like Songs from the Crystal Cave. He holds dual citizenship in the United States and Russia and has received a Serbian medal of honor from Aleksandar Vučić.

Filmography

His major theatrical releases include Above the Law (1988), Hard to Kill (1990), Marked for Death (1990), Out for Justice (1991), Under Siege (1992), On Deadly Ground (1994), and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995). Later direct-to-video and television work includes films like Exit Wounds (2001), Half Past Dead (2002), and series such as Steven Seagal: Lawman (2009-2014) and True Justice (2011-2012).

Category:American male film actors Category:American martial artists Category:American film producers